Have you ever wondered if where you grew up determined your success in life? A new study has found a way to quantify just that, and the results are really surprising — especially for poor children.
The study, by two Harvard professors, looked at income mobility for children and compared every county in the U.S. based on a poor child's chances of moving up the economic ladder. And, the New York Times put together an interactive tool that lets you see how your home county compares to the rest of the country.
According to the Times, Manhattan is one of the worst places in America for poor children to grow up; a poor child there will make 11% less at 26 than if she grew up in an average county. But, in nearby Queens, the same kid would grow up and make only 3% less than average. It's a big difference for two places separated by only a river.
We talk a lot about the idea of upward mobility and rising from poverty to self-made success — it's the foundation of the so-called American Dream — and this shows that moving to a better neighborhood can make a huge difference. Now, you can visualize just how much. How does your home stack up to the rest of the country?
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT